Lover Garage Sale is back for its 12th year - selling unwanted goods from people's driveways

The small community of Lover de-clutter their homes every year and take part in the Lover garage sale.

This year Lover will be welcoming the public to browse their village for all kinds of items from homemade jams to old furniture, on Saturday, July 2, from 8.30am until midday.

The sale, began 12 years ago when the daughter of the event founder, Dave Charles, was off to university, and they wanted to get rid of their unwanted stuff.

With more than 50 stall holders, Dave contacted the Guinness World Records for recognition as the biggest garage sale.

However, as the event is one of a kind the authority responded with: “We do acknowledge the village garage sale but as no one else had done we cannot confirm your status as number one”.

Dave said: “I never thought it would grow and become such a fixture in our village.

"A couple of us got together thinking a couple of sales advertised on a postcard in the local shop might get some interest, but when I canvassed the village - 30 people wanted to do it - and now 12 years later we are likely to pass 50 locations in the village, with only 150 houses here, which will surpass last year’s event.

“It is such a relaxed social event - the locals seem to enjoy having a chat with neighbours and wandering around almost as much as trying to sell the 'treasure' they have accumulated in their lofts and garages. I am amazed at the bargains people can pick up on the day - combine this with the bacon rolls from the village hall and it is a great way to spend a couple of hours wandering through the village.

“We have a view here that things deserve a second life, so to speak, rather than throwing things away - which can be seen by the success of our own Lover Repair Cafe who have raised thousands for the NHS and other charities.”

Stall holders donate to a pot which covers advertising and upkeep of the village green. As well as being able to make some money for themselves participants often donate their earnings to local charities too.

The village, in Redlynch civil parish, prides itself on community spirit. With no pubs or shops, residents have to create their own entertainment and often get behind local events like the yearly garage sale.

The triangular distribution of houses lends itself to the sale with the green and the village hall in the centre selling bacon butties and other refreshments.

Every year Dave and his wife Alison get together with a bottle of wine to set a date. Dave, who is now retired, reaches out to the other villagers a few months in advance to see if they’re interested in taking part.

He added: “This is the 12th year so each year, amazingly, people have got stuff to sell and have found more treasure in their loft.

“It’s a bit of a drag to take stuff to the dump so people think if I can sell it it’s easier to do so in their driveway. People love chatting to their neighbours, they wander down the village hall and pick up a bacon butty and a cup of tea, you walk back to your stall, you pass some of your neighbours and you walk round the triangle.

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“Often stuff I sell ends up next door and next door’s stuff ends up at the house down the road so I don’t know how much of it leaves the village but it’s community socialising!

“One man’s junk is another man’s treasure because whatever is in your garage and your loft is what people sell and it’s amazing what people buy.”

The Lover garage sale attracts visitors from further afield from locations such as Surrey, Bath and Warminster as well as being a local favourite.

In recent years, the village of Lover has built a romantic reputation for their special valentine’s day post where thousands of letters and cards are stamped with ‘sent from lover’ during the post office’s annual valentines week opening.

The Lover garage sale will be open from 8.30am until midday on Saturday, July 2. For more go to www.wherecanwego.com/lover-garage-sale-2022.

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